oklahoma – Mettise

Bob Ford, The Okeene Milling Company

mettise — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 14:00:13 +0000

It’s rare to find family businesses successfully passed down to the second generation, however 3^rd generation owner Bob Ford is now working on passing down the family company to the 4^th generation of Fords. Bob’s grandfather founded Shawnee Milling Company in 1906. As a teenager, Bob spent his summers working in the mill – learning all the different roles and responsibilities. His work ethic, ambition and ability to connect with people were evident from an early age.

After graduating from OU in 1966, Bob received his commission as a transportation officer in the United States Army. Lieutenant Ford completed flight school and volunteered to go to Vietnam. In his first six weeks, he became aircraft commander and took over the command of a helicopter detachment at Hue, North Vietnam (40 miles from the DMZ). During 1967 and 1968, he flew more than 1,000 missions in Vietnam. Bob has written a book about his experiences in Vietnam, “Black Cat 2-1: The True Story of a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot and His Crew.” For those whose voices were silenced in that faraway place or who have never told their stories, Bob creates a tribute that resounds with respect for those who served with honor. We encourage you to pick up a copy and learn more about this American (and Oklahoma!) Hero and his journey.

Upon his return to the States, Bob was deployed again – this time to Okeene, Oklahoma to run a major division of the family business. Shawnee Milling acquired the Okeene Milling Company in 1911. The Okeene Milling Company specializes in flour milling for bakeries and institutional customers. The mill has flourished under Bob’s leadership, attention to quality, financial stewardship and tenacity.

Bob works with The Mettise Group every quarter to assess and make strategic financial decisions. He said Sherry Dale’s advice has been invaluable throughout the years and he values the personal attention and care she demonstrates with her clients.

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Interview with Dr. KathyLee Santangelo

mettise — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 17:01:21 +0000

Sherry spoke with entrepreneur Dr. KathyLee Santangelo for Luxiere magazine. Dr. Santangelo is a collaborative leader, visionary, compassionate soul and healer extraordinaire. Read about her today!

Debbie Anglin, Anglin PR

mettise — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 13:48:58 +0000

Debbie Anglin launched Anglin PR in 1999 with the goal of offering clients powerful and effective ways to communicate with target audiences. “Businesses struggle to know who their audience is and how to reach them,” Debbie said. She loves to find out what challenges a business is facing. The Anglin team applies extensive knowledge and resources to create compelling messages which help clients garner more market share and improve profitability.

Anglin PR specializes in internal and external research to help companies refine the messaging to effectively reach the client base. Debbie says that the primary objective is to identify an unique approach for each business. Anglin PR focuses on creating custom strategic solutions that work with the client’s big ideas and budget.

For any business, it’s difficult to look internally to see growth opportunities or potential missteps. Debbie sought out services from The Mettise Group to help her develop a long term strategic plan and goals to build a high performance team. She also receives financial consulting services from The Mettise Group to guide her in analyzing key metrics. Additionally, she is a member of the Posse. She loves being able to turn to fellow members in a very transparent and yet confidential way. “When I am stuck, I get compassion and trustworthy advice,” she says. All of these services help to steward her business and free up time to spend on client projects.

Andrew Gipson, The Escape

mettise — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 17:34:16 +0000

While visiting Belfast, Ireland, Andrew Gipson and his friends discovered and played an intriguing one room escape game. After his return to the states, Andrew could not stop thinking about his experience with the game. He developed a few business plans and one was for The Escape. The Escape OKC opened in June of 2014 and was the first of its kind in Oklahoma. The Escape has since grown to five stores in four different states.

Clients are able to choose from six different rooms at The Escape. Each room has a puzzle which takes the participants approximately 1 hour to solve. The goal is for team members to work together to solve a puzzle in order to escape. The offering is much more than a board game. Participants gain a deeper understanding of themselves and fellow players as they work through the challenges. From friends & family to company team building to game enthusiasts, The Escape offers an unique, challenging and fun hour of adventure.

Andrew is a client of The Mettise Group. He values the advice and counsel The Mettise Group has provided for strategies he would have overlooked. From the advice he has received, The Escape has improved its business administrative processes. Armed with that knowledge, Andrew plans to open more locations and bring The Escape experience to more markets and people.

Wisdom, Support and Connections for the CEO – The Mettise Community

mettise — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 20:24:41 +0000

There’s no other way to put it, it’s lonely at the top. We have few places to turn to get trusted advice and support or a sounding board for honest solutions – a group that’s got your back. The Posse and the Tribe (the largest CEO peer network in the region) garner professional facilitation by Gene Hopper and Sherry Dale, accomplished entrepreneurs, leaders and capital builders.

The groups meet once a month to take part in a process that is both a Board of Directors meeting as well as an MBA-style case study. Members walk away with concrete recommendations and resources immediately applicable to his or her business. We are dedicated to building a powerful network of individuals who share our values and commitment to each other.

Norris Graves, WasteSolutionsLLC

mettise — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 14:51:10 +0000

Norris Graves started WasteSolutionsLLC as a waste consulting business in 2002. He helped businesses figure out where to cut out excess efficiently and economically. “Anything that doesn’t add value is trash,” he said. Within 5 years, more people were leaving the waste consulting business than entering. So, Norris decided to expand his business into services and assets. Since then, he has expanded to leasing equipment such as washers, dryers and dumpsters to military bases and businesses. He also has service contracts to pick up trash and manage recycling. Norris finds that his business is more than a trash business, it’s a saving client’s money business.

In 2013, Norris graduated from the SBA Emerging Leaders program. He worked closely with mentor, Gene Hopper, from The Mettise Group. Through this mentorship, WasteSolutionsLLC has grown 1,000 percent. He found that instead of over-analyzing issues. He can now concentrate on the core values of his company. It’s helped him gain confidence to grow. He plans to branch out into city and commercial business. In 2016, Norris was named Small Business Person of the Year by the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber.

Executives – Leading Your Teams

mettise — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 17:32:01 +0000

Leading your team effectively can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task in addition to your objectives and tasks.

Keep in mind the following:

1. Feedback – Don’t wait for the annual formal review process. Utilize regular interactions for continuous feedback. Also make sure the feedback is clear, honest and constructive.

2. Inspire – Go big on meaning and vision. Inspire people with your vision, set challenging goals and articulate a clear purpose.

3. Listen – Don’t just talk. Your team has ideas about generating solutions to on-going issues and problems. Enlist their input and be open to new thoughts.

Bethanie Britton, Country Leisure Manufacturing

mettise — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:46:09 +0000

In 2008, Bethanie Britton saw buying Country Leisure Manufacturing as not only a fun opportunity but also a way to bring families together in the digital age. Country Leisure Manufacturing opened in 1986 and sold hot tubs, above-ground pools and maintenance services. Under Bethanie’s leadership, Country Leisure Manufacturing has expanded to include in-ground pools, splash pads, quality outdoor furniture and outdoor kitchens. They have become an overall quality outdoor lifestyle store. In addition to product expansion, Country Leisure Manufacturing also now provides education through a free Pool School. They strive to be a leader in educating consumers about the care and maintenance of their pool, splash pad or hot tub.

Bethanie said The Mettise Group provides support and is there when they need them. The Mettise Group provides different ideas and solutions to help her make her business even better.